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Thursday, March 22, 2018

Walker's own appointed Judge ruled he must call special elections...Rep. Vos called her an "activist?"

It hurts just trying to figure this out; Republicans are quick to remind everyone that we're a "republic," not a democracy. And yet, not a peep from these proud angry conservative radio talk hosts and their deep red district voters when Walker left two legislative seats empty. Crickets.

Oh, it didn't serve their purpose or wasn't a part of their strategy of winning a sure thing? Seriously. Here's audio from WPR' Shawn Johnson:

Dealing a setback to Gov. Scott Walker and other Republicans, (Dane County) Judge Josann Reynolds - whom Walker appointed to the bench in 2014 - ruled Thursday the governor must call special elections to fill two vacant seats in the Legislature.

Showing just how crooked and wacky the con-game-of-resentment works, Republican Rep. Robin Vos embarrassed himself and his district when he quickly and without hesitation...

...ripped the judge as an "activist Dane County judge" who had injected her "own personal opinion into how we conduct elections." He said he wasn't aware Walker had appointed the judge, but said her approach was endemic to judges in liberal Madison. "It’s something about the water in Dane County," Vos said. "That’s why I try to stay here as little as I can."

It's a Mistake when a Judge rules Against Republicans? Vos is pretty much saying Republicans are "smarter than the rest of the state," above the law, and that the judicial branch is only there to support their agenda. This is so arrogant, ya gotta think something is terribly wrong with these guys. Seriously, who says this...?

Vos: "One thing I've always learned about appointments, you don't always get it right...sometimes even Governor Walker might have appointed somebody who's decided to be an activist judge. Something about the water in Dane County, which is why I try to stay here as little as I can. Ah, makes people feel like they are smarter than the rest of the state. This judge is certainly not."

Former Attorney General Eric Holder, on behalf of the constituents in those cheated districts, went to court:

Dane County Circuit Judge Josann Reynolds — determined Walker had a duty under state law to hold special elections ... failing to hold special elections infringed on the voting rights of people who lived in the two districts. "To state the obvious, if the plaintiffs have a right to vote for their representatives, they must have an election to do so," said Reynolds.

Oh and do I love the judges next comment, centering on the GOP's demand for a strict constructionist interpretation of the Constitution, which Reynolds firmly believes in:

The judge took a shot at Walker for contending he didn't have to hold the election when the statutes are clear and he so often talks about the need for judges and others to follow the plain meaning of laws.

"I cannot reconcile the incongruity between Gov. Walker's administration's very vocal and consistent policy advocating for strict constructionism and the position taken by the attorney general in this case involving the most basic constitutional guarantee."

Walker aides contended Walker didn't need to hold special elections because the vacancies occurred not in 2018 — the election year — but in 2017. The judge called that interpretation absurd because a seat that becomes vacant in 2017 remains empty longer than one that begins in 2018.Reynolds noted lawmakers could come in for a special session in the coming months, particularly if the U.S. Supreme Court sides with a panel of three federal judges that new congressional and legislative maps must be drawn.